THE SECRET SERVICE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11829, 10 January 1933, Page 3

THE SECRET SERVICE

'A MARVELLOUS ; ORGANISATION

A brief entry in Britain’s annual estimates hides the most marvellous secret world-wide news-service tlie world has over known( says the Sunday Express.) The item is “Secret Sorvice, £ißo,000.” The Sahio amount appears every year, and no account »,is given, of how it is spout, Britain’s secret service is totally different from the whispering dance girl secret service of romance. Its ex-offibio head is Sir Robert Vunsittui't, Permanent Undersecretary of State for Fofeigs Affairs, who knows more of the World's State secrets than does anyone in Britain. British scientists, retired army officers, insurance officials, artists, officials of international 'financial houses, women In society, lawyers, and missionaries are among the most important people who have made the secret service what it is to-day—the most accurate repository of varied secrets possessed by any nation. Only the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and his private secretary have a 'complete'-list’ of the secret service. Heads of departments are aware only of the informants concerned with their own section. AH names, addresses, and other details aro kept in code under lock and key. Even the Foreign Secretary himself has no access to the list without tho knowledge of the Permanent U ndc r-S ecr e t ary.

None of the wonderful collection of facts iu the Foreign Office is ever entrusted to tho post. They are brought to Whitehall by King’s messengers, men with silver greyhounds beneath their lapels which entitle them to stop any train in Europe. Tho precious documents are in despatch cases strapped to their body. There arc only two keys—ono in tjie possession of tho sender and one in the possession of tho Foreign Office. As a fmai precaution, the despatch cases are scaled.

How do these secret gatherers of the world’s most private news work? The secret service obtains information of t'lie exact state of health of every world figure. Jt is highly necessary that the Foreign Office should have this information. Some of the facts are amazing. There is one great world figure who has come into prominence since the war. Everybody thinks that he is in the prime of life. Tho secret service knows that lie is doomed by a malignant disease. A man who went to visit him on business brought the news.

One of tfie people who have brought sumo of the most astounding information is the daughter of a nobleman known to .everyone iu Britain. Another, a famous musician, made some great coups during foreign concert tours. Some of tbe most wonderfully accurate secret service information may bo obtained, oi all unlikely so vires, from insurance offices, banks, and trading firms. In arranging tarilt's it is necessary to know confidentially the produnction and the sto-cks of great foreign industrial concerns. These corporations, with their international ramifications, can supply tho service with estimates. Financial information, the best in Europe, is kept modern through tbe great international banking bouses. Their English houses know all that is happening through their foreign branches —they Lave, in fact, private secret services of their own. The Krcuger debacle came a* no surprise to tlio Foreign Office. In the middle of 1931, when he was still a “Napoleon of Finance”, the Foreign Office was aware from secret service sources that he was bard-prssed for ready money, and that a crash was Inevitable. The birth of a prince in a foreign Royal House may be of vital consequence. Months before the event is announced, or even suspected outside t]io Royal circle, it is noted in the private records of the. Foreign Office. It is the ambassador's wife who gives the information. Incipient Royal marriages are watched in all their stages. 'Hie first approaches, the views of tjic parties concerned, the delicate soundings of the hierarchy where there are religious differences, perhaps the reasons why ifio romance died young all these details float in from tlie secret service. In the Far East some of the most important information conics from missionaries. They hear the rumblings of the coming upheavals beiore anyone else. A close watch on Asiatic potentates visiting Europe is often necessary. Of one, who was intriguing against Britain, the secret service literally never lost sight of. They knew and recorded where he dined and with whom he dined, whom 3m received in his hotels, aiul at what shops lie bought things. If a man attempts to make gold—a feat which would range the. world’s currencies—the Foreign Office knows about it before liis plans aro far advanced. Watching Riviera yacht parties is another important function of tho service. When international confidences are exchanged in the unguarded social atmosphere there the Foreign Office usually knows almost immediately. There are between 100 and 200 people working on beliali o tho secret service. Payment ns made> in currency notes or gold, if necessary hut, seldom by cheque. there arc/fcw permanently employed agents; the most important in formate/? i comes from people who are distinguished in their own professions. They do -not realise till they have supplied one or more pieces of important information, and have shov discretion, that t]iey. are being used b'v the secret service. Dance-giil formants are a myth. '.They have .not sufficient intelligence. .